Soak the dried wood-ear mushrooms in hot water for 15-20 minutes and soak the glass noodles separately until pliable. Drain both very well, then finely chop the mushrooms and cut the noodles into short pieces.

Finely chop or shred the carrot, onion or shallots, jicama, taro, or cabbage, garlic, and shrimp. Small, even pieces help the filling stay compact and cook at the same rate.

Combine the pork, shrimp, mushrooms, noodles, vegetables, egg, fish sauce, sugar, pepper, garlic, and salt. Mix just until evenly combined without overworking the meat.

Fry a teaspoon of the filling in a pan to test the seasoning. Adjust the fish sauce, salt, or pepper before rolling the full batch.

Fill a wide shallow dish with room-temperature water. Dip one rice-paper wrapper for only 1-2 seconds, place it on a clean damp towel or work surface, and let it continue softening.

Place 1 1/2-2 tablespoons of filling near the lower third of the wrapper. Fold the bottom over the filling, fold in both sides, and roll upward with gentle, even pressure.

Set each roll seam-side down on a rack or parchment-lined tray, leaving space between the rolls. Allow them to dry for 10-20 minutes.

Heat 1 1/2-2 inches of oil in a heavy pot to about 325°F (160°C). Fry the rolls in batches for approximately 6-8 minutes, turning occasionally, until lightly golden and cooked through.

For extra crispness, raise the oil to 350-375°F (175-190°C) and fry the rolls a second time for 1-2 minutes, until deeply golden and blistered. Drain them on a rack rather than directly on paper towels.

Mix the fish sauce, water, lime juice or rice vinegar, sugar, garlic, and optional chile to make nước chấm. Confirm that the pork and shrimp filling reaches at least 160°F (71°C), then serve the rolls hot with lettuce and herbs.